The New York Department of Agriculture and Markets is warning consumers that Side Hill Acres raw goat milk may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. Some of the milk tested positive for the pathogen.

The dairy was notified about the presumptive positive test on May 31, 2019. On June 4, 2019, more testing confirmed the presence of the pathogen in a raw milk sample. The dairy can no longer sell unpasteurized milk until sampling shows that the product doesn’t have the pathogen.

The dairy is located at 79 Spencer Road in Candor, New York. The government is warning consumers in the Tioga County area about this issue. No illnesses have been reported in association with this issue.

If you purchased raw goat’s milk from Side Hill Acres Farm, do not drink it, even if some has been consumed and no one is sick. Bacteria can cluster in tiny clumps in milk, which means that not all of it will contain the pathogen. Discard it, then clean out your refrigerator with a solution of one tablespoon liquid chlorine bleach to one gallon of warm water to kill any remaining bacteria. Wash your hands well with soap and water after cleaning and after handling the milk.

The symptoms of listeriosis, the illness caused by this bacteria, can take up to 70 days to appear. Symptoms include severe headache, high fever, stiff neck, muscle stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Pregnant women may only be ill with what seems like the flu, but this illness can cause stillbirth and miscarriage.